Usually the counterfeit cigars are copies of the most expensive Cuban cigars, and the real ones, are made with a higher level of control. 12. This is not a holograph. But JB you say, how do I know if its an authentic Cohiba? Read on, my friends. Smell The real thing is expensiveand all of us want a bargain. Touch Cohiba's bands have changed considerably. We are Cayman Islands' most trusted news source. You'll only be walking into a large den of discount fakes. 2. leaf size. It is unlikely that someone will decide to sell off cigars at their own expense. Know Your Cigar Boxes. Each had the name Cohiba, the vitola, or size of the cigar, and often the number of cigars packed in each box. Visual analysis In these cases, the seal indicating the type of special edition is placed immediately under the HABANOS S.A. seal. A serial code was added to the seal and the seal itself has a reaction if directly exposed to ultraviolet light. This lends power to the cigar. It is a lustrous, metallic gold, however, it is non-holographic. JR Cigar Blog & Videos - Reviews, Lists & More. In both of the aforementioned cases, the mark doesnt realize hes been ripped-off until he lights-up one of his prized purchases, or tries to share one with a cigar smoker who knows the difference. Discover the world of exquisite smoking with Pakistan's largest collection of cigars, tobacco products and accessories from the greatest Cuban and non-Cuban cigar brands. Cohiba is a brand for two kinds of premium cigar, one produced in Cuba for Habanos S.A., the Cuban state-owned tobacco company, and the other produced in the Dominican Republic for US-based General Cigar Company. The authentic Cohiba Behike took anti-forging efforts to a new level. In Cuba, the biggest and most obvious sign of fakes is some guy on the street who has cigars and tells you his buddy, who works at the H. Upmann factory, snuck out the box. Edicin Limitadas are heavily faked. Embossed Lettering: The famous Cohiba on a white background with a square, gold border is embossed in metallic gold. The cigars will be the same size (or very, very close), the colors will be similar cigar to cigar and the bands will be aligned from one cigar to the next. (The Cuban Partags should not be confused with the non-Cuban Partagas that shares the same name, but is manufactured in the Dominican Republic by General Cigar Co.) Cuba's Partags brand is large and includes the rich and bold Lusitania, a double corona, as well as one of the best-selling handmade cigars from Cuba, the robusto-sized Serie . M2, Mezzanine Floor, Plot # 41-C, Street 27, Tauheed Commercial All real Cuban cigars are packed in boxes with what is called the Habanos Seal. EXTERNAL SEALSCuban cigars boxes come with two seals: the DOP seals and the Cuban state seal. Not sure and dont care. No matter what label they put on it, if it was made in Cuba with Cuban tobacco it is a Cuban Cigar. Ive bought 25 Romeo Y Julieta Romeo No.1 from the hotel cigar bar on the last might of my holiday, The Sales person was keen to show me hologram/ barcode, Having since got home and checked what they are worth, Upon closer inspection (with good light) the Habanos dop seal is split and the tape at the back of the hinge is torn. Its fake. The bands have several minor marks that you can identify. This steps below can be followed to understand if you are dealing with a counterfeit product: 1. Pass. On the right side of the seal, there is a small strip that has an hologram across its entire width. In fact, many boxes have Cuos with too many codes, or they do not have the Cuo at all. This new seal was introduced starting in 2009, but the introduction was gradual. For the American cigar smoker, Cuban cigars are the holy grail. Shine a UV light on it, and the seal will react. - Cigar Advisor. Cohiba has been using a security hologram band featuring the head of an Indian since 2010, but in 2014 they added additional data that allows consumers to identify the original brand from any country in the world, while also providing information on the distributor and bill number, among other details. Cuos. There are certain attributes about Cuban cigars that differentiate them from non-Cubans. Some Cuban cigars come in various packagesothers dont. Of course, just about anything printed on paper can be reproduced, and with todays technology, it takes a really well-trained eye to tell the difference. Find out if your Cuban Romeo y Julieta is real or fake. So lets see what other checks we can do. The more complex answer to what Cuban cigars cost depends on a number of factors. . Check out Cigar Aficionado's newsletters, bringing you our latest ratings & reviews, cigar news and our guide to the good life. Even the box was wrong, which Ill get to shortly. Period. When Can I Buy Cuban Cigars in America? The experience of buying a Cuban cigar in Cuba may be overwhelming for some. These marks tell industry-insiders which of the countrys factories made the cigars. See our video answers to why cigars have bands, whether resting them outside the humidor is ideal before smoking, and whether infused cigars lose their flavors over time. People can easily get duped as, on the outside, many of these Cubans look quite convincing. The first and most important is to visit an authentic Cuban cigar shop like the Casa del Habanos. Reply. G.K.), [] you getting ripped off are pretty damn high. Including Cigar Accessories & Boveda Products. If youre offered a barber-pole cigar a cigar with two wrappers of different colors its not real because there is no real Cuban cigar made this way. This is the last analysis that can be performed and it is also an invasive type of analysis. 1. type of leaves present So is the 10 CUC Cohiba. Cigar Aficionado Online, M. Shanken Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. One of the questions Im often asked by other cigar smokers is, How do I know if I bought a box of fake Cuban cigars? Its a good question because, even though on October 14, 2016, the U.S. Treasury Department announced that they had removed the limits on bringing Cuban cigars and rum into the United States from Cuba and other countries, there are still plenty of counterfeit Cuban cigars to be had or to put it another way to be duped. Even worse is if youre offered a Behike for $10 on the street outside your hotel in Havana. Reading Time: 3 minutes Alec Bradley Cigars will have a new home under a pending acquisition agreement with Scandinavian Tobacco Group to the tune of over $72 million. Don't get lured into anyone's apartment either. More attention should be made on the CIGAR in this aticle How it feels, how the cap looks, the colors, etc. True, a lot of cigars made outside of Cuba many of these same attributes, but if your Cuban cigars are missing all or most of these attributes, theyre most likelynotof Cuban origin. Therefore, its always better to smoke at least one cigar before you buy. Thatll bring a tidy profit on cigars that might have cost as little as $20 for the bundle and pennies for the packaging. With the exception of figurados like Pyramids and Torpedoes, the caps are often more flat than round, and always tripled seamed. This new stamp read: Habanos s. a. What do you do? 8.1 The band: it must be verified that the band used has no defects. So sad what will become of such a once beautiful Island. If you have already smoked the same type of cigar, you will be able to understand if the aromas and strength developed during the smoke are typical of the brand and in particular of that type of cigar. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. . ?More on that later. Wondering if anyone here has noticed the same things and has any feedback as to whether these are signs the cigars are facke or confirmation the cigars real?? Watch now and see. So if the box of cigars we are about to buy looks like a crazy bargain, there is probably something wrong. Real vs Fake Cuban Cohiba Cigar Band / Label. Unless, of course, theyre selling us fakes. For example, the popular Cuban brands like Cohiba, Partagas, Punch, Hoyo de Monterrey, Romeo y Julieta, Montecristo, et al., all feature the Habanos S.A. seal on the top right-hand corner of the box. No box of Cuban cigars leaves the country without it. Cuban wrappers tend to be naturally oily with a smooth, buttery appearance and entirely even in color. Im no tobacanist. Cigar test Source: http://www.habanos.com/en/el-mundo-del-habano/signos-de-distincion/. Cubans vs Non-Cubans: Are They Really Better Cigars? Cellophane, however, is not the only indication that a Cuban cigar is fake. The ash on Cuban cigars is almost always gray or salt-and-pepper in color. Dupont Collection Pays Homage To Paris, 2022 Big Smoke Las Vegas Seminars: Blend Ambitions With Dewars And . Fake Cuban cigars images. Its important to note that the squares are full and do not get cut off either on the top or bottom row. For more specific information regarding the Cuo, concerning the codes, the different types of Cuo and how to decode this stamp and understand if it was affixed in the wrong way: GUIDE TO HOW TO READ THE CUO. This verification is one of the most accurate, and in many cases we will realize that the box is counterfeit precisely from this. Dec 30th 2020. 3) opening mechanism on box: some boxes have a mechanism that allows you to firmly close the box. Here are the elements of the newestCohiba band that you should look for to decide if its authentic or not: 1) Holographic Taino Indian Head As for the size of the leaves, we are referring to the dimensions that the tobacco leaves have. If you have smoked cigars for a long time, say more than 10 years, you almost certainly have been asked the question were addressing here. Yes, at one time Cuban cigars reallywerethe best and had virtually no competition. Cuba has always been very proud of its famous 'Habano' cigars. Cubas famous Cohiba brand is one of the most counterfeited cigars in the world. Don't take the bait and don't be tempted by the idea of a bargain. Is my Cuban cigar real or fake? There are gold highlights and squares of a bluish-gray tint. The cigars might be Cuban, or at least made from Cuban tobacco, but theyre unlikely to be real H. Upmanns and the tobacco will likely be scraps that end up on the floor of a factory. . Knowing the average price for these cigars, especially limited editions, will aid you in avoiding getting hosed. I can see clearly now the lid is glass they're fake. Bands that are not perfect are not used in genuine cigars making. Keep in mind that there's no such thing as a Fake Cuban cigar in Cuba. Seeing as the fake Cuban cigar business is a multi-million dollar a year enterprise, this seems like a relatively smart move. For decades, there has been a market for counterfeitCuban cigars. The Habanos Seal should always be present on the upper left-hand side of your cigar box, approximately 3 to 6 mm from the edge.